Cerritos College New Central Plant Building - Completed

Building Program:

Discussion:

The proposed structure at the Central Plant will be concrete masonry with a finish coat of cement plaster over most of the structure with large louvers for natural ventilation. The Central Plant Building will tie directly into a Cooling Tower Enclosure which will also be constructed of concrete masonry units with a cement plaster finish to match the Central Plant and the Pool House. The top three feet will have a band to match the parapet screen of the adjacent Pool House Building. The parapet-roof screen will be constructed from a ‘Centria’ Metal Panel System. The roof structure will be steel beams with a steel deck. The roof will slope ½" per foot and will use the campus standard ‘Siplast’ modified bitumen roofing system. The roof structure will be steel beams with a steel deck.

The Central Plant Building will not only house the central chillers and pumps but will also have an adjoining room for the main electrical switchgears/panels to feed the Central Plant and cool equipment. This portion of the Building will be lower but will match the design of the main portion of the Central Plant Building. The Chillers will be accessible through roll up doors for future ease of maintenance.

Waste Heat from the Central Plant will be used to help heat the pool in the New Aquatics Center.

The Building yard will be surrounded by an 8 foot tall chain link fence. The fence will be 1" diamond mesh green vinyl coated chain link with green wind screen. The fence will be 20 feet from the building on all sides to provide a clear safety buffer between the main campus which is subject to approval of the Division of the State Architect and the Central Plant which will not be accessible to students. The twenty foot buffer will both keep a reasonable side yard for fire safety without having fire protected openings.

All ceilings will be exposed construction with pendant or surface mounted lighting.

Exterior lighting fixtures will match that at the New Math and Science Building.

No part of the building will be air conditioned or heated as the building will not normally be occupied. There also will be no insulation. The floor finish will be sealed concrete. The inside of the walls will be unpainted masonry.

Central Plant Yard

The yard is designed as plain concrete with control joints and expansion joints at about 8 feet on center. A planting buffer will be provided along the fence. Planting will be selected for minimal potential for leaf waste or other debris. No trees will be sited near the building due to concern for leaf waste in the cooling towers.

Minimal Site lighting will be provided around the building for emergency servicing at night.

Architectural Design Intent

Architecturally the Central Plant Building been designed with clean simple lines that complement other more recent buildings on campus. Since we are also designing the Aquatics Center, we also consciously designed the two buildings using the same architectural vernacular, with the same materials and the same general lines.

Although both buildings are fairly utilitarian they are intended to enhance the campus environment without standing out in any unusual way.

The following is a simple outline specification for materials. It is the intent that all materials and elements shall be designed in accordance with Cerritos College Standards.

Based on the April 2006 report, the central plant will house 3000 tons of air condition, producing chilled water at 42 degrees F for distribution throughout the campus. All chillers (at least three), chilled and condenser water pumps, cooling towers (in an adjacent yard), water treatment, controls, a heat exchanger for the pool, expansion tank, and other required auxiliary equipment will be provided as part of the factory fabricated central plant.